KARACHI: The shortage of dollars in Pakistan has started to affect the imports of basic food commodities as over 6,000 containers of pulses are stranded at the ports. Importers had to pay $48 million as detention charges to the shipping companies. There is a high chance of pulses shortage if the government does not act quickly.
During a press conference, the Chairman of Karachi Wholesale Groceries Association Abdul Rauf Ibrahim and Vice-President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Haris Agar said that the additional burden of demurrage charges is piling up as containers are halted at the port for a long period. Haris Agar also pointed out that ships of oil and ghee are also stuck at port due to a shortage of dollars.
The Vice-President of KCCI added that there could be a huge crisis of ghee, oil, and pulses in Sindh, and subsequently, the prices will also increase. Abdul Rauf Ibrahim said that government should restrict all imports for national interest after releasing the stranded shipments.